The present invention relates in general to convertible furniture, and in particular, to a new and useful furniture unit that converts from a bed to a table or desk, and back.
Convertible furniture is commonly utilized as a space-saving expedient, for example, in living quarters having limited space, such as in studios and in small apartments that are frequently found in densely populated urban areas. A typical example of such convertible furniture is the conventional sofa-bed which provides a sofa in one mode and a bed frame and mattress in another mode.
Convertible furniture which converts from a bed to a desk may also be used in larger homes for double-use rooms, such as a guest room/home office combination.
A convertible furniture unit having both a desk and a bed function is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,195. This furniture unit does not provide a minimal storage profile and is cumbersome to operate. It also does not include the convenience of a headboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,671,230 discloses a wall bed which employs tension springs to facilitate movement of the bed between stowed and open positions. The hinged leg assembly support for this bed frame and its chain support for a shelf have only moderate weight-bearing capacity and rather limited stability. A multi-functional convertible furniture construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,523. It incorporates a bed frame within a shelving unit. A movable extension attached to a spool in this construction must be unrolled to support a mattress. The mattress must also be foldably stored.
Also see U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,770,813; 3,088,127; 4,070,715; 4,476,592; 5,136,737 and 5,621,930 for other examples of convertible furniture units having a bed position.
The present invention is a further refined convertible piece of furniture that has a base, a bed platform pivotally connected to the base for pivoting about a first axis from a stowed position to a use position, and a table, desk or work surface panel pivotally mounted to an underside of the platform for displacement about a second axis that is spaced from the first axis so that the panel is in a support position when the platform is in the use position, and the panel is in a working position when the platform is in the stowed position. An extension is pivotally connected to the panel about a third axis at a location spaced from the first and second axes, for rotation of the extension between an upper position for propping the panel in its working position, and a lower position. The extension includes a part for propping the panel and another part for extending the useful surface of the panel.
The table, desk or work surface panel can be a solid board, an engineered panel of laminates and frame elements, or a three-dimensional structure with spaces for drawers, storage areas and the like. It can be used as a dining table, writing table, desk, work surface or similar article of furniture.
Concurrently with movement of the bed platform, a headboard can be deployed for the bed platform. A fixed spreader extends forwardly of the base for stabilizing the furniture unit. The extension is mounted for movement between a far end of the spreader and the panel. The spreader extends under the panel permanently to support the panel in both its working and support positions, and houses tensioning and/or actuation means for controlling movement of the platform between its stowed and use positions. The fixed spreader also allows the piece of furniture to be free-standing.
The invention provides a convertible furniture unit that is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to, and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.